What is indicated by the program counter in a process?

The program counter (PC) is a crucial component of a computer's CPU that tracks the execution of a program. Specifically, it holds the memory address of the next instruction that the processor is expected to execute. This allows the CPU to know where to fetch the following instruction from memory, ensuring that the program runs in the correct sequence.

Having the program counter incremented correctly is essential for the flow of control in a program. When an instruction is executed, the program counter updates to point to the next instruction, whether it's sequential or depends on branching due to conditions or loops. This mechanism enables the CPU to manage the execution of multiple processes efficiently, ensuring that each process can resume correctly from the point it was last executing. Understanding the role of the program counter is fundamental in grasping how processes and instructions are managed within an operating system.